Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelkulave’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Sunbelkulave’, characterized by its trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; early and long flowering period; large single purple violet-colored flowers with dark purple-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNBELKULAVE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Sunbelkulave’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to develop new trailing and freely branchingCalibrachoa plants with large, attractive and uniquely colored flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2006 of aproprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code name CE11,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code name CP3, not patented,as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in September, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan sinceNovember, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this newCalibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environment conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbelkulave’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunbelkulave’ as a new and distinctCalibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Trailing plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.    -   4. Early and long flowering period.    -   5. Large single purple violet-colored flowers with dark        purple-colored venation.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in plant size and plant habit asplants of the female parent selection are smaller and more outwardlyspreading than plants of the new Calibrachoa.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Calibrachoa are narrower than        leaves of plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have darker purple violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of‘Sunbelrikubu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,505. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the newCalibrachoa and ‘Sunbelrikubu’ differed primarily in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Calibrachoa were longer and        narrower than leaves of plants of ‘Sunbelrikubu’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Sunbelrikubu’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Sunbelrikubu’ had purple-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbelkulave’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunbelkulave’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan andunder commercial practices. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C.Plants were four months old when the photographs and the descriptionwere taken. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Sunbelkulave’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code name CE11, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code name CP3, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three weeks at            15° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Trailing plant habit; freely            branching habit with numerous lateral branches developing            per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development;            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 10.4 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 47.2 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 21.4 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 7 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Mostly trailing.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 8 mm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,            close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137C; venation, close to 144B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 3.2 mm. Diameter: About 1.1 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            usually about 98 flowers per plant; flowers face mostly            outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about three            to four weeks after planting; long flowering period,            flowering commences naturally during the spring and plants            flower continuously throughout the summer until late autumn            in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 2.1 cm.            Diameter: About 4.7 mm. Color: Close to 85A; thin            longitudinal lines, close to N92A.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 2.3.cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 9.5 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Tube diameter, base.—About 1.8 mm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.1 cm. Petal width: About 1.7 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Blunt to slightly cordate. Petal            margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube            texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper            surface: Close to N87A; towards the throat, close to between            79A and N82A; venation, close to N92C. Petal, when opening,            lower surface: Close to 84A. Petal, fully opened, upper            surface: Close to N82B; towards the throat, close to between            79A and N82A; venation, close to 79A; color does not change            with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 79D; venation, close to 79D. Throat: Close to 6A;            venation, close to N187A. Tube: Close to 1C; venation, close            to N199A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx tube with a single            whorl of five sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About            4.5 mm to 10 mm. Sepal width: About 2.7 mm. Sepal shape:            Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Sepal color:            Immature and mature, upper surface: Close to 143C. Immature            and mature, lower surface: Close to 143C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm.            Angle: Mostly outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth.            Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Stamen length: About 6 mm to 11 mm. Anther shape:            Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther diameter:            About 1.3 mm. Anther color: Close to 10B. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 10B. Pistils: Quantity: One            per flower. Pistil length: About 8.2 mm. Style color: Close            to 145B. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma            color: Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 145A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to    Calibrachoa plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named‘Sunbelkulave’ as illustrated and described.